Apparatus for developing sensitized material



Dec. 12, 1961 R. c. GOODMAN EIAL 3,012,492

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING SENSITIZED MATERIAL Filed March 25, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ROBERT C- GOODMAN EMILIO G- MASTROlANNl Y 0/ 0mm ATTORNEYS Dec. 12, 1961 Filed March 25, 1959 R. c. GOODMAN ETAL3,012,492 APPARATUSFOR DEVELOPING SENSITIZED MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG.2

FIG.5

INV EN TORS' ROBERT C. GOODMAN EMlLlO G.MASTRO| NNI ATTORNEYS 3,012,492APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING SENSITIZED MATERIAL Filed March 25, 1959 Dec.12, 1961 R. c. GOODMAN E'AL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV EN TORS ROBERT C.GOODMAN FIGA 27/4 Flea EMILIOG MASml ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,012,452 APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING SENSITIZED MATERIAL Robert C Goodman,Binghamton, and Emilio G. Mastrolanni, Endicott, N.Y., assignors toGeneral Aniline & Film Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Mar. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 801,878 3 Claims. (CI. 95-94)This invention relates to an apparatus for developing dlazo sensitizedsheet material, either film or paper, which is conveyed through thedeveloping apparatus without marring the surface thereof. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a developing apparatus whereinthe sensitized material is developed by means of vapors of aqueousammonia.

Apparatus for developing diazo sensitized material by means of vapors,now generally in use, comprises a tank having a perforated curved wallpermitting the passage of vapors from the interior of the tank wherethey are generated to the exterior thereof. A flexible endlessimperforate belt, usually of rubber, generally termed the sealingsleeve, is mounted on rollers and positioned to pass in close contactwith the perforated wall of the tank. In operating this type ofdeveloping appartus, the material to be developed is placed between thesealing sleeve and the stationary perforated wall of the tank and incontact with both. The movement of the sleeve slides the material acrossthe perforated stationary Wall of the tank where the material iscontacted on one side thereof with the developing vapors issuing throughthe perforations.

There are many disadvantages inherent in the prior art apparatus asdescribed above. First, the sensitized face of the material must slideagainst the stationary surface of the perforated tank wall andscratching of the sensitized material and damage to the material areliable to occur. The metal between the perforation restricts the freeflow of developing vapors over the sensitized material and alsoobstructs the flow of heat so that the vapors which flow through theperforations condense at times, at least partly, and the sensitizedmaterial is thereby damaged. Also, dirt and moisture tend to collect onthe curved wall of the tank which increase the friction between thesensitized face of the material and the wall of the tank therebyincreasing the tendency of the film to scratch and also precludingproper development of the film or sheet. The dirt and moisture also tendto produce corrosion.

It is an object of this invention to provide a developing apparatuswherein both surfaces of the sensitized sheet material aresimultaneously exposed to the developing vapors.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a developingapparatus wherein contact between the sensitized material and stationarywall is eliminated.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a developingapparatus wherein the sensitized material is passed through a sealedchamber containing developing vapors by means of open work beltspositioned to contact both faces of the material.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will occur to thoseskilled in the art from the detailed description thereof given belowwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1is a perspective view of the novel apparatus with portions of the casingand portions of the rolls broken away to better illustrate the variouselements within the chamber,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus with parts broken away,

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the casing,

FIG. 4 is an end view of the casing illustrating the chain drive for thedriver rolls, and

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the paper between the conveyor belts.

The novel apparatus as shown in the drawing comprises a casing 1 havingside and end walls which together with the lower wall 2 and upper wall 3form a substantially closed chamber. The lower wall is provided with aslot 4 through which the sensitized material may enter the chamber andthe upper wall is provided with a slot 5 through which the sensitizedmaterial may leave the chamber. Guide means in the form of rods 6 and 7guide the material through the slots.

A pair of driven rolls 8 and 9 are positioned below the bottom Wall 2for advancing the material through slot 4 into the chamber. These rollsmay have outer surfaces covered with Teflon or other plastic materialand may cooperate with sealing means 10 and 11 to provide asubstantially gas tight closure for the chamber to minimize leakage ofvapors from slot 4 to the atmosphere. A similar pair of rolls 12 and 13cooperating with sealing means 14 and 15 are positioned above the upperwall 3 to move the developed material leaving the slot 5 away from theapparatus.

Within the chamber are positioned two pairs of rolls 16, 17, 18 and 19.The rolls 16 and 18 are positioned in spaced parallel relation adjacentthe lower wall 2 with the space between the rolls in substantialalignment with the slot 4 and rolls 17 and 19 are positioned in spacedparallel relation adjacent the upper wall 3 with the space between therolls in substantial alignment with the slot 5. All four rolls areprovided with circumferential grooves 20. A plurality of endless coiledsprings 21 are positioned in the grooves 20 and are stretched betweeneach pair of rolls 16, 17 and 18, 19, thereby forming an endless belt.As shown in FIG. 3, the adjacent runs of the two belts are insubstantial alignment with slots 4 and 5 and are placed so that thebelts on one roll do not face the belts on the other roll but are spacedapart. In this manner, the sheet material is constrained, to a slightextent, into a corrugate formation, as shown in FIG. 5, which leavessubstantial stiffness to the material, making it easier to pass itthrough the exit opening 5 and between the sealing rolls 12 and 13.While various types of open work belts or bands can be used, we foundthat endless coiled springs are especially suitable for this purpose,since they permit almost complete access of the developing vapor to thesensitized material. Moreover, dirt and moisture will not accumulate onthe springs as readily as on a fiat continuous perforated belt. Also,the developing vapors permeate through the coiled springs much morereadily than through a perforated wall of the conventional developingtank belts since the flow of vapors is not stopped by the metal betweenthe perforations.

Positioned in the space between the two runs of each of the belts, butout of contact with the belts, are vaporizing tanks 22, adapted tocontain a liquid to be vaporized, such as aqueous ammonia for example.The tanks contain electrical heating elements 23 to vaporize the liquid.The vapor issues through a slot 24 in the upper portion of each tank andis directed toward the sensitized material.

FIG. 4 shows a chain drive comprising a chain 25 and pinions 26associated with the rolls for driving all the rolls in unison.

In operation, the sensitized material 27 is conveyed by rolls 8 and 9through slot 4 into the chamber, the material being guided by guide 6.The material entering the chamber is contacted on opposite sides thereofby the spring belts 21 which carry the material through the chamber andthrough the exit slot 5 to be delivered between rolls 12 and 13 out ofthe chamber. While passing through the chamber, the sensitized materialis subjected to the developing vapor exuding from slots 24 of tanks 22,the vapors being generated by the heating elements 23. Thus, thematerial is contacted substantially uniformly on all sides by the vaporsand is developed thereby.

In the illustration, the chamber and belt assemblies are shown by way ofexample in a vertically disposed construction. It is just as feasible toplace the assemblies in a horizontal position, in which case thedeveloping troughs 22 are rearranged and shaped so as to preventspillage of liquid and to properly immerse the heating elements intothis solution.

Our invention is not limited to the detailed description containedherein as many modifications thereof will occur to a person skilled inthe art. Our invention includes all modifications which fall within thescope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for developing sensitized material comprising a chamberhaving end walls each of said end walls having a slot therein, two pairsof rollers within said chamber, said pairs of rollers being closelyspaced together and each roller of each pair formed with a plurality ofcircumferential grooves, a plurality of end less coiled springsstretched between the two rollers of each pair and positioned in saidgrooves whereby a belt comprising a plurality of individual springspositioned side by side is formed-on each pair of rollers, a tankadapted to contain a vaporizable developing fluid, heating means in saidtank for vaporizing the fluid, an outlet from said tank for directingthe vapors toward the sensitized material moving through the chamber,two pairs ofconveying rollem positioned outside ofthe chamber, one pairbeing spaced from but in close proximity to each of said end walls withthe bight of each pair of conveying rollers being in substantialalignment with the adjacent slot, means cooperating with said pairs ofconveying rollers for sealing the spaces between the rollers and endwalls and means for rotating said grooved rollers and said conveyingrollers, whereby sensitized material is conveyed by one pair of rollersthrough one of said slots into said chamber and into contact with saidbelts, the material is conveyed through the chamber in contact with thedeveloping vapors and through the other slot by the belts and thematerial is thereafter moved away from the apparatus by the other pairof conveying rollers.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 including means associated withsaid' slots for guiding the material through said slots.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1' wherein two tanks containingvaporizable fluid are provided in the chamber one tank being positionedbetween the two runs of each belt andout of contact with said runs.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 612,931Parker et a1. Oct.25, 1898 1,999,965 Hall Apr. 30, 1935 2,811,909 BungayNov. 5, 1957 2,812,699 Bungay Nov. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 852,807Germany e Oct. 20, 1-952

